We’ve got a few years’ worth of Royal Enfield Himalayans that are set to be brought back to the brand over a corroded caliper – and the source of the issue is apparently the same one that has us Northerners counting the days until warmer weather hits.
According to coverage from RideApart, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was notified at the end of February with the heads-up that “4,891 Himalayan units produced between March 1, 2017, and February 28, 2021, could experience poor braking performance or a loss of braking altogether.”
The real culprit behind all of this?
Salt.
These specific calipers (utilized by the Indian OEM) show corrosion only when exposed to high salt levels; given the present-day requirement to use salt on cold roads, the issue becomes an emergency.
Riders are warned to watch out for noisy braking, as well as “unusual odor/burning smell near the calipers, a dragging feeling when attempting to accelerate, or unusual difficulty in pushing the motorcycle manually.”
Luckily, the calipers are the only parts showing this vulnerability; as such, Royal Enfield will replace the front and rear calipers with anodized units, free of charge, as long as the bike is within the relevant years.
Recall notices have already been going out to houses since the beginning of February, so standby for yours and be sure to spread the word to any 2017-2021 model year you happen to see out on the road.
